Osun govt, group trade blames as hoodlums dispatch anti-SARS protest


Osun state government and the Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM), Thursday traded blame as suspected thugs dispatched Anti-SARS protesters in Osogbo, the State capital. 


While the group alleged that the attack on the protesters was sponsored by the state government, the later described the allegation as ‘irresponsible. 
It was gathered that some thugs who had supported the protesters since Monday, were prevented from collecting bribe from motorists by the protesting youths, thus leading to disagreement Wednesday evening. 


The protesters had prevented vehicular movement in the town since Monday, as residents lament hardship being subjected to, by the protesters. 
It was learnt that efforts by the protesters to prevent some thugs who were said to be benefiting from the protests, led to the disagreement.


Meanwhile, the hoodlums on Thursday morning insisted that the protest would not continue and they removed all barricade mounted at various junctions in the town. 


Some civil society groups had condemned the ‘excesses’ of the protest, noting that criminals have infiltrated into the agitation. 


But, the Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM), Osun State Chapter, alleged that the disruption of the protest was sponsored by the state government. 


The group in a statement by the state Coordinator and Secretary, Messrs Alfred Adegoke and Kola Ibrahim, said “given the state government’s blackmail against the protest since yesterday (Wednesday), we believe the attack was state-sponsored. 


“While some groups of hoodlums have been trying to exploit the peaceful protest in Osogbo for pecuniary gains, we make bold to say that this had nothing to do with the genuinely peaceful protests being organised in the state. Indeed, we suspect that the hoodlums must have been sponsored by the state in order to discredit the genuine protest with the aim of attacking it. This is what has happened today. Worse still, these hoodlums are themselves victims of bad governance,” DSM alleged.


In a swift reaction, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Gboyega Oyetola, Ismail Omipidan, described the allegation as “irresponsible. 


Omipidan explained that the efforts carried out by the state government in ensuring that the demonstrations against police brutality remains peaceful in the State.

He said, “we have been engaging with the ENDSARS protesters since they began their protest in the State last week. We met with them on Friday and by Monday, we left the State Executive Council meeting midway to attend to them.


“To show commitment on our side, we requested them to send their representatives to join us in our interface with the Police in Osun to monitor strict adherence to the IGP’s directives disbanding SARS. However, the protesters declined, saying the group had no leaders.


“Shortly, they had disagreements among themselves and they dispersed. But by yesterday, when we noticed miscreants had hijacked the protests, we raised the alarm. It will therefore be unkind, even irresponsible, for anybody to accuse government of sponsoring thugs to disrupt the protests. I want to believe that those, who invited the hoodlums yesterday may have been responsible for whatever happened today.


“However,  as a responsive government, we have put the security operatives on notice to ensure that the peaceful protests are not hijacked by miscreants and hoodlums,” Omipidan stated.

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